A college field trip has finished in an accident on Monday morning in Tanay, Rizal with at least 15 people killed and 40 college students injured. The accident will likely cancel future educational trips in order to prevent possible mishaps as such.

15 dead in Tanay bus accident

At least 14 college students and the bus driver died when their tourist bus smashed into an electric post along a curved road in Brgy. Sampaloc in Tanay, The Philippine Star reported. Ten of the fatalities were pronounced dead on the spot while another five died while being treated at the hospital.

Among the fatalities are Arneline Galauram, Jeid Cabino, Jonahfay Cerezo, Lovely Siringan, Mark Dave Baday, Princess Niña Sentonis, Robert Kenneth Pepito and the driver, Julian Lacorda Jr. The latter was declared dead on arrival at the Rizal Provincial Hospital. The other victims have not been identified as of Monday night.

More than 40 others were injured and taken to hospitals, with several of them in critical condition, municipal officials said. The injured students are about 18 to 19 years old.

Bus rams electric post

Senior Supt. Randy Peralta, Rizal police director, said the students were on board a Panda Coach bus with plate number TXS 325. They left Bestlink College of the Philippines in Quezon City around 6:30 am and were on their way to Sacramento Adventure Camp in Tanay.

The students were supposed to go for a camping activity which was part of their National Service Training Program (NSTP). Peralta said based on initial investigation, Lacorda lost control of the wheel and then lost his brakes. The bus was the last of the nine buses used for the field trip.

Survivors recalled they had smelled of burning rubber immediately before the accident. They tried to inform the driver but the bus continued speeding downhill, The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.

LTFRB to suspend bus firm

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is set to suspend operations of the bus company involved in the accident. LTFRB member Aileen Lizada said the agency said tt will suspend all six active units of the company under its tourist transport shuttle franchise, which is valid until February 2019.

Additionally, the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) said it is forming a task force to look into the bus accident. According to a 2012 CHEd memorandum, an advanced and proper coordination with the local government must be done for the safety and convenience of students and school personnel. An appropriate clearance from the concerned local government and private offices must also be secured prior to the field trip.

Field trips may be canceled in the future

The incident may result in the cancellation of future of educational trips that may compromise the safety of the students. Such incidents question the safety of educational trips and the students, whose parents entrusted them to the school government.

Below are some of the social media posts about the incident:

What do you think of the death toll in the Tanay Rizal bus accident? Let us know in the comments section below.

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